Cough Leads to Life-Changing Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Treatment

When 65-year-old Marge T. developed a wheezing cough, she assumed it was something minor like a seasonal virus. But after nine weeks with no improvement, she followed her husband’s suggestion and scheduled a doctor appointment at Washington Health. That decision may have saved her life.

Upon examination, a chest X-ray was ordered to investigate whether the cough could be a symptom of respiratory infection, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. While Marge’s lungs were clear, the imaging revealed a small nodule in the upper left lobe. In an abundance of caution, her primary care physician (PCP), Lincy Mathew, MD, ordered a CT and PET scan and got her in right away to see pulmonologist Jason Chu, MD.

“I have the best PCP,” said Marge. “She told me, ‘It was by God’s grace’ the nodule was found. That was the perspective I needed to hear in that moment since this all was such a shocking surprise. Dr. Chu then ordered a PET scan and told me about the next steps with his empathetic tone and posture.” All the while, Marge’s daughter, a pediatric nurse, was by her side, helping her understand the medical terminology.

Next, Marge met with thoracic surgeon Jennifer O. Chan, MD, to have the suspicious nodule biopsied. Washington Health’s Ion endoluminal system — a robotic-assisted bronchoscopy platform — allows Dr. Chan to navigate deep into the lungs with remarkable precision using a minimally invasive approach. Through a tiny flexible catheter guided by advanced imaging technology, she can reach small, hard-to-access lung nodules and obtain biopsies earlier, and more safely and accurately than ever before. This was critical for Marge because the lab confirmed it was a stage 1 malignant tumor that needed to be removed as soon as possible.

Dr. Chan describes Marge as, “a very intelligent woman.” She worked as an engineer in the Philippines before she and her husband moved to Fremont and started a family (her two sons followed suit and are Silicon Valley engineers today). She has always taken good care of herself and never smoked. Although lung cancer kills more people worldwide than any other cancer, and smoking remains the leading cause of lung cancer, the disease is now found in up to 20% of nonsmokers. Genetics may also play a role. Marge’s mother lost her battle with lung cancer 10 years ago, making the diagnosis even more frightening.

Soon after the biopsy, Dr. Chan successfully removed the cancerous nodule while preserving as much healthy lung tissue as possible, using the robot-assisted Da Vinci Surgical System. Compared with traditional open surgery, robotic-assisted procedures generally result in less pain, shorter hospital stays, smaller incisions, and faster recovery times. After two days in the hospital, Marge went home to recuperate, which called for walking and doing breathing exercises. She will get regular CT scans of her lungs to confirm the cancer has not returned.

“I remember reading a flyer about Dr. Chan’s impressive education and credentials when I first went to her office,” recalled Marge. “But that cannot convey how compassionate, approachable, and empowering she is. Her experience and confidence were so reassuring from the beginning, and she has told me she will continue to follow-up and look after me for many years to come.”

Marge’s advice for others facing a health issue is to listen to your body, ask good questions, and go to a health system where good doctors and advanced technologies will be available to you. “I always said, ‘As long as I’m standing I have a chance.’ I didn’t lose hope because only God knows how long we will be on earth.”